Poll: Are Dodgers doing right thing in starting Clayton Kershaw?

Are the Dodgers making the right move by starting Clayton Kershaw on short rest tonight?

Are the Dodgers making the right move by starting Clayton Kershaw on short rest tonight? (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)

Houston Mitchell

Are the Dodgers doing the right thing in starting Clayton Kershaw in Monday night's game? There are pros and cons:

Pro: Get a chance to close out Braves tonight and you can start Zack Greinke and Kershaw in Games 1 and 2 of the NLCS, which begins Friday.

Con: Kershaw has never started on three days' rest, and if he loses, you come back with Greinke in Game 5, which means Hyun-Jin Ryu is your Game 1 pitcher in the NLCS (provided the Dodgers defeat the Braves).

There has been an interesting debate on Twitter by former major-leaguers Brandon McCarthy and Gabe Kapler as to whether this is a good move.

@gabekapler not a fan. Fatigue carryover may show up in later series. Huge inning load already- a wall has to be coming. Why expedite it?